Cooling system for internal-combustion engines



g M. H. WARD ET AL CUOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES I 2 Sheets-Sheeil .J i N VEN TORS Filed March 22. 1924 Ma; A TTORNEY.

- 1,640,681 1927' I M. H. WARD ET AL COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N & i k k x fiLJATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

stares PATENT orrics.

MARSHALL H. VTABD, OF BROOKLYN, NEVJ YORK, AND AURAND, OF TEA- NEOK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEVJ JERSEY.

RADIATOR COMPANY, OF NEW COOLING SYSTEM INTERNAL-COMBUSTEON ENGINES.

Application filed March 22, 1924.

Cur invention relates to new and useful improvements in cooling systems for in ternal combustion engines, and more particularly to those employing liquid cooling medium contact with the part or parts to be cooled, and in which the temperature of the liquid cooling medium is controlled by regulation of the vapor pressure of the cool liquid.

In cooling; systems of thistype, ithas heretofore been proposed to regulate the vapor pressure either by thermostatically controlled means responsive to temperature variations in the cooling liquid, or by valves actuated by the pressure ditlerence existing between the closed cooling system and the surrounding air. lnone of these types, th vapor pressure of the cooling); liquid is regur lated at a poin. below the normal barometr )lESSIFQ by use ot either of the cont-rolling means heretofore mentioned.

The present invention contemplates the provision of improved and simplified means for controlling the vapor pressure, and is particularly, although not necessarily. table to systems of the type mentioned, in the intake manifold of the engine is .,ed as the source or" sub-atmospheric pre sure. A One of the important objects of the invention, anionq others which will appear, is to provide eiu-ciont means for maintaining); the pre ure in the cooling system substantially nt without disturbing, or irrespective of. the pressure conditions in the engine manifold existing during the normal. operation of the eng ine.

-(Ether objects will appear from the detailed description of the invention hereinattei given. I

The invention consists in the improvements to be more fully described here nafter,

and the novelty of which Will'be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

VJ e have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of o invention in the accompanying: drawings, to be takenas a part of this specification, and wherein 4 Figure 1 is a view in side elevation. partly in s ction, of one type of internal combustion en me with our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. l, and shown certain parts in dotted lines; 3 is vertical, longitudinal section Serial No. 701,162.

through a pump and overflow device employed in our invent-ion;

Fig. 4. is a vertlcal, longitudinal section through a valve forming one of the elements of our invention;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of he understood that this illustration is merely by way of example, as the invention is applicable to liquid-cooled internal combustion engines. generally, irrespective of the use which the same may be put. The en' n shown includes the usual crank-case 2, pi. n cylinders 3, the latter being arranged with in achamber formed by the usual jackets 4 and a head 5, forming achamher orspac. for a suitable liquid cooling medium. for

example, Water, or a mixture of water and alcohol. surrounding the cylinders and adapted to cool the same. The engine is provided witha suitabl intake manifold 6 in which suction is ner to draw an explosive mixture from a carluiretor (not. shown) into the cylinders to be therein ignited to drive the engine pistons, The head 5 is provided with an outlet connection"Z, to which is connected. one end oi? an outlet pipe or conduit 8, the opposite end,

of which is connected to and discharges into the upper portion of a radiator 9 acting as a coolin'gelement-or condenser, will be hereinattermore fully set forth.

The radiator preteraoly comprises a suitable air-cooled core 10, above which is a receiving chamber-11 into which the outlet pipe 8 discharges, and below which is a tank 12 to receive water of condensation. The radiator is provided preferably at one side of the core 10 with a sealed column or passage 13 closed at its upper end by a partition 14, and communicating at its lower end (see vertical, longitudinal section created in the usual man-.

2) with the upper portion of the tank 12, for a purpose to be presently described. Connected to the lower portion of the radiator below the liquid level therein, is a return flow connection leading to the inlet side 16 of a suitable pump 17, which may be of the rotary geared piston type driven by any suitable transmission connection from the engine crank shaft. The outlet 18 of the pump is connected to an overflow device comprising a column 19 having an outlet emptying into the liquid cooling space of the engine jacket. This overflow device may take a number of forms, but preferably consists of a vertical column in which is arranged a vertical partition wall 20 dividing the column into an up-fiow passage 21 and a down-tlow passage 22, which communicate attheir upper ends through a duct 23 between the upper end of wall 20 and the top wall of the casing. The liquid from the pump 17 passes through the passages 21 and 22 and out through a port 2 1 at the base of passage 22 to the liquid-containing space of the engine jacket. The partition 20 is of such height that its upper end a iproximates the liquid level desiredto be maintained in the engine jacket.

In the top of the column 19 is a port 2% connected by a pipe or other suitable conduit 19" to the steam space-of the head 5, which permits steam pressure to exist over the top of the passages 21, 22, so as to insure balance of pressures between the overflow and the space above the water in the cylinder head, in order that the cooling medium may flow by gravity from the overflow to the water jackets.

In the arrangement as so far described, the liquid level in the jacket is maintained at such a point as to provide a steam-disengaging space above the liquid, the level being determined, for example, by the height of the wall 20 heretofore described. When the engine is running, vapor is disengaged from the liquid in the cooling space in the jacket, flows out of the head 5 through the connection 7 and pipe 8 and is discharged into the receiving chamber 11 at the up or portion of the radiator or condenser, and passing down through the core 10, is condensed therein, the liquid of condensation being collected in the tank 12 at the base of the condenser. From the tank 12 the liquid is drawn by the pump 17 and is discharged into the device 19, whence it passes to the engine jacket through port at to maintain the supply of coolin liquid therein.

The radiator or condenser core may be, and preferably is, cooled by a suction fan 1O mounted on the shaft 10 of said pump 17, said shaft carrying a belt pulley 10 adapted to be driven by an endless belt 10 from a pulley 10 on a magnet-o shaft or other part driven from the engine shaft.

nect the radiator or condenser with the inlet manifold of the engine, and employ the subatmospheric pressure conditions therein tocreate the desired sub-atmospheric pressure in the cooling system. In the embodiment herein shown, the object just stated is achieved by connecting to the upper portion of the passage 13 one end of a suitable conduit 25, the opposite end of which is arranged within the intake manifold, so that the suction in the latter operates through said connection to draw air from the condenser and create a sub-atmospheric pressure therein. i

ive will now proceed to describe improved means for automatically regulating and controlling the pressure in the cooling system without disturbing the normal operating conditions in the intake manifold. This means, in its preferred embodiment, 'comprises a valve device 26 constructed to maintain a desired or determined sub-atmospheric pressure in the cooling system for all degrees of pressure, or variations of pressure, in the manifold that is, he conditions attending the operation of the engine, and also to maintain the air flow from the cooling system to the manifold substantially constant at the minimum rate. V

This valve consists of a casing or body 27 having concentric cylindrical chan'ibers 28, 29, the former connecting through a oort 30 with a portion of the pipe 25 leading to the engine manifold, and the chamber 29 connecting through a port 31 with that portion of the pipe 25 leading to the condenser. The cylinders 28, 29 are preferably arranged axially concentric and are provided with internal sleeves 32, 83. respectively. The cylinder 28 is provided .1 its side wall with a longitudinal passage or port S t coextensive in length with the cylinder 28, and connecting with the interior of the sleeve 32 through a narrow slot 35 extending longitudinally through the wall of the sleeve, and the cylinder 29 is correspondingly formed with a longitudinal passage 36 which communicates through an elongated narrow slot 37 in the sleeve 33 with the interior of the cylinder 29. Within the sleeves 82, 33 is arranged a plunger valve. consisting of a piston valve member 38 extending into'the upper sleeve 82, and a larger piston valve head 39 slid ably arranged within the lower sleeve 33, said pistons being rigidly connected so as to move in unison. The plunger valve embodying the'two piston heads is slidable longitudinally in the sleeves. and during the sliding movement contro s the area of the hli ion

llU

openings through the slots 35, 87, respectively, which establish communication between the passages 34, 35, and the chambers 29, respectively. The areas'of the slots 35, 37 and the piston chambers and pistons 38, 39, are so proportioned as to maintain the proper sub-atmospheric pressure conditions desired in both he manifold .and the radiator or condenser. If the vacuum condition or sub-atmospheric pressure which is maintained in the manifold during the nor mal operation of the engine be approxi mately inches of mercury, and it should be desired to maintain a greater pressure in the condensersay, approximately inch of mercury-the operation of a properly proportioned structure for this purpose will be as follows: 7

The vacuum or sub-atmospheric pressure condition in the manifold causes the plungers to rise in the cylinders 28, 29, thereby closing the port or slot 85, except for a slight orifice at the upper end of the latter, under which conditions there will be a vacuum of approximately 20 inches of mercury in the chamber 28, and a vacuum of approximately l inches of mercury in the passage 84-, due to the restricted portion of the port exposed above the piston 38, which pressure will, also exist inthat portion of the lower chamber 29 above the piston 39. At the same time that the piston covers the passage 85, as heretofore described, the larger piston head 39 in the lower chamber moves lengthwise of the port or slot 37, so that only a small area of said slot affords communication between the upper part of the lower cylinder and the port or passage 36, whereby the sub-atmospheric pressure in the passage 36, and that portion of the lower cylinder beneath the piston 39 is reduced to approximately inch of mercury, or that pressure desired to be maintained in the cooling system. The lower portion of the chamber 29 being in directcommunication with the radiator or condenser, the vacuum in the latter will be the same as that in the lower portion of the chamber 29.

In the embodiment above described, the only condition creating a sub-atmospheric pressure in the condenser is the .suction existing by reason of the higher vacuum in the manifold, but due to the condensation of steam in the condenser a further and higher vacuum in the condenser might resultsay, as' high as 4 inches of mercury which, under some conditions, may be higher the that necessary to obtain the desired cooling conditions. In order to prevent the condensation creating an excess vacuum, the controlling valve described embodies means for admitting air to the condenser in order to reduce the vacuum to the desired point. For this purpose the valve body or casing is provided with an extension 40 having a chamber 41, preferably axially concentric with the chambers 28, 29, heretofore described, the wall of the extension being provided with one or more ports 4.2 open to the atmosphere. The plunger valve. heretofore described carries a valve member which co operates with the port or ports 42 to admit air to the lower chamber 41, and conse quently to theradiator or condenser whenever the vacuum in the latter rises above a desired point. This valve consists preferably of a piston disk e3 on the lower end of a stem 44 which is integral with the lower end portion of the piston 39, said stem being provided with a circumferential reduced neck constituting a, passage 45. The operation of the construction just described is as follows:

VVhen the sub atmospheric pressure in the eondenser, and consequently in the lower chamber 29, increases above that desired, the resistance to the upward movement of'the valve plungers under the influence of the vacuum in the manifol'd, will be increased, so that the plunger valve takes such position that the neck or groove 45 spans or registers more or less with the ports 42, which will re sult in air flowing through said ports into the space 45, the lower chamber 29 and through conduit 25 to the condenser, thereby reducing the sub-atmospheric pressure to the desired point. As soon as the sub-atmospheric pressure is reduced by the introduct-ion of air as ust described, the plungers sume the normal position with the piston valve 43 above the ports 42, and cutting off communication between the same, the lower chamber and the condenser, under which conditions the desired pressure is maintained in both the manifold and the condenser. It will be understood that the system is sealed against ingress of air other than that admitted by the controlling valve described.

The valve also has another important function, namely, to relieve excess pressure which may voccur in the system, due to fail ure of the system to function properly as a whole. This takes place in the following manner: Any pressure within the cooling system greater than the negative pressure at which the valve is designed to operate will ill! force steam or vapor through the conduit 25 1 into the lower chamber 29, and acting on the lower surface of the piston 39 causes the valve to rise in the cylinders sufliciently far to raise the disk 48'completely out of the chamber ll and permit such steam or vapor to escape freely into the outer air through the holes 42. When such excess pressure has been dissipated, thevalve will return to its normal operating position and resume its fpnction as heretofore described.

The pipe 19 is connected to one end of a pipe 46 constituting a steam by-pass, the

other end of which enters the Water chamber ted into the latter, thereby sciwing to raise the temperature of the wafer to a point approximati I of the in order that the water ted by the o the jackets will be approximately the tempera re oi the wai ter contained within the jackets.

passage 21 by the pump does not till the column 21, where it spills over the upper cage 0 wall 20.

it will be understood that the system ma be provided.initially with a suitable supply of cooling liquid through one or more supply inlets; for example, there may be a filler inlet 11 on :he radiator top, closed by a suitable cap 11 and an inlet 5 having; removable cap 5 may also open into the cooling jacket shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

In 6 and. 7 we have shown another embodimentin which all of the elements heretofore desc 'ibed are the same, except the specific structure of overflow device. In this construction the pump 17 discharges into a column 19" having an rip-flow passage 21'- sepai .tee from a down-flow passage 32 by a partition 20, the lower end 01''? the pas sage 22 discharging through port 2 into the engine jacket in the sai'ne manner as the overflow part heretofore described. in this embodiment the column is alzo provided with a third )rssage L8 communicating through a port -19 with the space above the 22', and at its lower end pro \vith an outlet 50 connected by a pipe vided 51 with the water-receiving space or tank the lower portion of the condense". this means any excess water e. .tlllfl in the overnow column is by-" 1 ed back to the rad1 at r, and the desired lGrGl of water in the ning of the engine, w bins the normal conditio ex nanitold.

i hen sub-a in'the mar'told exceeds that system, the valve functions s i pressure in the cooling ;0 as to restrict the connection between the condenser ind the manifold to an extent which will provide that just su'liicient air be withdrawn 1: i the condenser to maintain the desired pressure therein, withoutpermitting an ex *essive quantity of air to be taken into the manifold Second. il hen the sub-atmospheric pres sure in the condenser and cooling systnn e ceeds that. desired, the valve itunctins to admit sutticient air to the condenser cooling system to reduce the .sub-atmospheri pressure, and to maintain the desired abatmcspheric presure in the cooling system, but without admitting to the engine manifold.

Third. lVhen for any reason the steam or vapor pressure in the'cooling system exceeds a desired maximum, the valve functions to relieve the pressure to the atmosphere without effecting the pressure conditions in the manifold.

Fourth. When the sub-atmospheric pr f-:- sure condition in the manifold and the cooling system are equal, or substantially balanced and provided that the sub-atmospheric pressure inthe condenser is greater than that desired, the alve will operate to reduce the vacuum in the condenser without admitting air to the manifold. V

Herein wherever we speak an increase of sub-atmospheric pressure, is meant an increase of the differential between the atmos pheric pressure and the lower pressure in the cooling system or the suction connection.

V hat we claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is: i

1. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine 1 ing a. cooling space and a fuel-suction inlet.

condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and dischargi into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and said fuel suction inlet, and pressure controlled me as responsive to pressure in said suction connection to regulate the suction exerted by the said suction connecti. a to thereby maintain a determined pressure in the cooling system regardless of variations of pressure in said fuel suction inlet.

2. A cooling s steni of the character described comprising an internal combustion engine havinga coolinv: space and a fuel suction inlet, a. condenser, a vapor discha ge from the cooling; space into the condenses a liquid return from the condenser to said cool ing space, a uction pine connectingthe coudenser with said fuel suction. inlet. and a balanced valve in said suction pipe and responsive to variations in pressure for maintaining a desired pressure in the cooling system without disturbing normal pressure conditions in said fuel passage.

3. A cooling system of the character deand lib

CJI

scribed comprising an internal combustion engine having a coo-ling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a Vapor discharge from the cooling space into the condenser, a liquid return from the condenser to said cooling space, a suction pipe connecting the condenser with said fuel suction inlet, and a valve in said suction pipe and responsive to variations in pressure for maintaining a desired pressure in the cooling system and including a pistonvalve member having ports connecting the condenser side of'the piston valve with the engine suction side.

4. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, and means in said suction con nection responsive to pressure in the suction inlet to regulate the pressure in the condenser.

5. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine hav-' ing a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser .and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, and means in said suction connection responsive to pressure in the suction inlet to regulate the suction exerted on the condenser to permit a relatively greater pressure in the condenser.

, 6. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the V condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, a valve. casing in said suction connection and having a port leading to the suction inlet and the condenser, and a valve controlling said port and responsive to suction inlet pressure to permit arelatively greater pressure in the condenser.

7. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, a valve casing in said suction connection and including chambers of differing diameters, connected piston valves in said chambers, a chamber of smaller diame eter being connected to the suction side and a chamber of larger diameter being connected to the condenser side, and slotted ports connecting said chambers and the latter with the suction side and the condenser side re spectively, said ports being controlled by said piston valves.

8. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, asuction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, a valve casing in said suction connection and including chambers of differing diameters, connected piston valves in said chambers, a chamber of smaller diameter being connected to the suction side and a chamber of larger diameter being connected to the condenser side, slotted ports connecting said chambers and the latter withthe suction side and the condenser side respectively, said ports being controlled by said piston valves, and means controll d by said valves for admitting air to the con denser side of said suction connection.

9. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and dis charging into the lat-ter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet, a valve casing in said suction connection and including chambers of differing diameters, connected piston valves in said chambers, a chamber of smaller diameter being connected to the suction side and a chamber of larger diameter being connected to the condenser side, slotted ports connecting said chambers and the'latter with the suction SlClBflDCl the condenser side respectively, said ports being controlled by said piston valves, an air port on the condenser side of the valve casing, and means operated by said valves for controlling said port.

'10. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and the fuel suction inlet whereby a subatmospheric pressure is produced in the condenser, a controlling valve in said suction connection, said valve comprising difierential chambers containing respectively piston valves of difierent cross-section, said chambers being connected respectively to the suction side of the casing and to the condenser side, and restricted, slotted ports connecting said chambers and controlled by said piston valves whereby a given pressure in the suction inlet produces a different pressure in the condenser.

11. A cooling system of the character described comprising a. combustion engine having a coolin space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and said fuel suction inlet, an air inlet to the cooling system, and means controlled by relative pressures existing in the suction inlet and the cooling system for controlling said air inlet.

12. A. cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, a suction connection between the condenser and said fuel suction inlet, pressure-controlled means responsive to pressure in said suction connection to maintain a determined pressure in the cooling system for all degrees of pressure in said fuel suction inlet, an air inlet to the cooling system, and means whereby said air inlet is controlled by said pressure-controlled means.

13. A cooling system of the character described comprising a combustion engine having a cooling space and a fuel suction inlet, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and dischai ing into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to the cooling space, means for admitting vapor from the cooling system into said return passage, a suction connection between the condenser and said fuel suction inlet, and pressurecontrolled means responsive to pressure in said suction connection to maintaina determined pressure in the cooling system regardless of variations of pressure in said fuel suction inlet.

14-. A cooling system of the character described comprising acombustion engine coolspace, a condenser, a passage connecting the cooling space with the condenser and discharging into the latter, a return passage from the condenser to toe cooling space, s1iction-producing means,-a suction connec tien between the con lenser and said suctionproducing means, and means in said suction connection responsive to differences in pressure existing between said suction means and said condenser for maintaining a substantiaily constant pressure in the condenser.

in testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

MAP SHALL H. WARD. EDWARD L. i-rURAND. 

